The Blue People

The Blue People

The villagers of Burford, England, shunned Livi and her family. The cruelest folks yelled, "UGLY WAGTAILS or INDI WITCHES!, and threw rotten cabbages at them or pelted them with stones. But to most villagers, they were simply The Blue People and were shunned.

The business of making indigo produced a most nauseating stench that clung to their bodies and clothing and followed them wherever. The plants used in the process had to rot before adding them to the dyepot and issued the odor of rotting garbage and death. Mixing and handling the noxious liquid turned the dye maker's hands and arms blue, and the valuable dried dye cakes had no odor.

Livi, her Aunt Anna, and her two young daughters lived deep in the forest, far from other people. Their dye cakes turned artists' paint, wool, or cloth into a rare purplish-blue. The formula was rumored to go back to the Roman occupation. It was passed down through generations by word of mouth, never recorded.

Whenever she was in a foul mood, Livi's Aunt Anna reminded her that her mother had died giving birth to her. She said that Livi's father was so grief-stricken by his wife's death that he went to sea and left his infant daughter with Anna. "I never saw my son again! And it's all your doing!" she'd shout. As if Livi purposefully killed her own mother by being born.

Livi was small for her age, with dark brown eyes and brown hair that she wore in a long braid. She was neither beautiful nor unpleasant looking. 'She's a plain girl,' people would say.

In 1798, their unique dye was in high demand. Merchants sold it to artists, weavers, and wool makers, which was then bought by seamstresses of royalty and the wealthy. Indigo makers were social pariahs, and dye merchants took advantage of this, paying them a pittance of their worth.

Livi spent hours gathering specific plants needed to produce the dye and helping to stir it in a huge pot. She also tended to her young cousins Sally and May. The girls picked up on their mother's animosity toward her and gave her no end of grief. They refused to eat their porridge, sometimes dumping it on the floor and blaming Livi. Or they'd run and hide from her, taking up her precious time and scaring her nearly to death before coming out of hiding and laughing at her. 

Another of her tasks was the weekly shopping. She dreaded this because of the names and taunts from many of the villagers. Also, a gang of bully boys constantly tormented her. Some people crossed the street to avoid her, but the kindest simply ignored her.

 On this shopping day, Livi rose early. She scrubbed herself and applied rose oil to her body, hoping to lessen the scent. She donned her long-sleeved dress and gloves to hide her blue hands and arms. Snow had fallen during the night, so she wrapped strips of rags around her shins for warmth. She folded their thickest wool blanket into a triangle and wore it as a shawl covering her head and body.

 Livi stepped from the cottage into a wonderland of brilliant snow. Despite the cold, she loved the new glittering white world and the softened sounds it made. She walked briskly, trying to shorten the two-hour walk and keep herself warm. She usually took her time, enjoying the forest and the freedom from her hellish home. But today was cold, and the snow fell harder, reaching the tops of her shoes.

 In the village, she made her last purchase of a pig shank. As she stepped from the butcher shop, the three large boys, who usually taunted her with shouts and threats, stepped in front of her, blocking her way. She tried walking around them, but they moved, as one, like a human fence. They were bolder today, probably because the street was empty due to the foul weather.

Their angry, hateful expressions made her stomach churn. Then one of the boys lunged forward and grabbed for her basket, and she gripped it tightly and made a fist with her other hand. Feelings of surprise and rage took the place of wisdom, and she punched the boy in his face as hard as she could.

" OW! You, God, dammed witch!"' he screamed! He put his hand to his face as blood seeped from his nose and mouth. He said in a threatening voice, "You'll pay for this. You will!!"

 The butcher stepped outside to see what the commotion was about. Livi turned and ran. The butcher, still holding his clever, stepped between her and the boys, yelling, "Oy! Be off with yas!" and raised the cleaver high, shaking it. The boys scattered in all directions.

Livi ran through the alley behind the shops and into the forest. Snow continued to fall and now reached her shins. The bottom of her skirt was caked in ice and snow, making walking difficult. Her knuckles ached from hitting the boy, but she felt proud for defending herself.

When she was about halfway home, she heard a sound behind her. A muffled epithet and footsteps crunching on the snowy path. She turned and, to her horror, saw the three bully boys after her. 

Livi grabbed her basket tightly and started to run, but her heavy skirt made this nearly impossible, and the boys quickly caught up with her. She yelped as someone grabbed her braid and jerked her head back. She regained her footing as he released her, then wound his arms around her from behind, pinning her arms to her sides. He pressed his head against her ear and said, "Now you're in for it, you blue whore!" His breath smelled like rotting flesh.

"Yeah - now you're in fer it! Fer sure!" another boy echoed as he smashed his fist into her face. She dropped her basket, and the smallest of the three darted forward, grabbing the apples. She kicked his hands, screaming, "NO! Leave me be! Stop it!"

This made him angrier he stuffed the apples into his coat and pulled her shawl off. He put it over his head as she had and mimicked her in a falsetto voice, "Leave me be. Leave me be!" Then he punched her in the stomach and slapped her face so hard her ears rang. Another punch to her middle sent Livi slamming to the ground. She coiled into a ball and covered her head with her arms and hands. The snow briefly felt good against her aching face, then made her wince from its biting cold.

They yelled, "You ugly witch!" "Filthy hag!" followed by brutal kicks to her head, arms, back, and legs. The boy whose face she'd punched leaned down and said, through gritted teeth, with foul breath, "You'll never punch anyone again! You're gonna' pay!" 

She lay there, praying for it to end. But they continued their frenzied yelling and kicking. Something large and heavy struck the side of her head.

Then the kicks stopped, and the voices fell silent. Still fearful, Livi remained curled on the ground. She listened as one of the boys yelped in pain and heard footfalls fade as they ran away.

She felt herself being lifted by huge, strong arms, then was hoisted over a large shoulder like a sack of grain! She shrieked in pain, and her last conscious thought was, " I am dead."

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Livi woke but could not open her eyes. She tried to sit up but groaned as pain shot through every part of her.

"Aye, it's good to see you're still with the living." said an elderly woman.

Livi started to speak but only managed to whisper, "Where? Who?"

'"You're all right now, dearie. My son Sam ran the little bastards off and brought you home. I'm Sara." she said.

Don't let Sam's size scare you. He's a little slow-like," Sara said, " He's huge but gentle. He's a little boy in his head, but he's a good lad and strong too. I think you'd be dead if he hadn't come along. It's all right, girlie. You're safe here."

All Livi could think about was the pain in her head, back, legs, everywhere. And why were her eyes covered? She reached up and felt a damp cloth covering her face. Her arm dropped back onto the bed, and she'd never felt so weak. Then it all came back to her like a horrible nightmare. The boys, the beating, kicking, and she began to cry, but even that sent waves of pain through her chest.

Sara said. " That there on your face is a comfrey compress that I made, and it will help the swelling go down."

Livi felt a warm, rough hand pat hers as Sara said, "I'll get you something for the pain. Just rest."

Livi's mind ran wild with questions. Where was she? What would her Aunt do to her for not bringing the food home?

Sara returned and said, "Here we are. Open your mouth a little; this oil will make you feel much better. Livi opened her swollen lips and felt cool drops fall on her tongue. But they were so bitter she wanted to spit them out.

"I know it tastes horrible, but it will help you with the pain," Sara said.

"Now I'm going to lift your head up so you can take a few sips of sweet mint tea, and it will make the taste easier and soothe your tummy."

 Livi's pain faded quickly as she fell into a deep slumber.

She awoke as sunlight streamed through the cottage's small windows. She heard the door open and felt a cold breeze, then the door slammed shut.

"How is she? Mum?" Livi heard a deep, yet childlike, voice ask.

Sara said, "I think she'll live. It's a good thing you found her when you did!" But keep your voice down, son."

"Sorry, Mum."

Livi listened to firewood hit the floor. Then footfalls come nearer. Her sight had improved, but everything still looked blurry. She recognized the outline of Sara. Then a very tall, a large shape loomed over her.

Fear overwhelmed her, and she wanted to scream but couldn't.

Sara said, "This is my son Sam, Livi. He saved you!" She added with pride.

Livi managed a slight nod.

Then Sam told Livi in a booming, excited voice, "I was stalking a deer. I followed it all day. I was way on the far side of the forest. Then I heard you screaming and ran to you. I saw them, boys hurting you. I didn't know what to do, so I aimed my bow at them! I didn't want to hurt them, but I wanted them to stop! I think I nicked one in the arm because there was a bit of blood on my arrow when I gathered it up." his voice grew louder and more animated as he chuckled and said, '"They ran off like a bunch of scared rabbits!" and waved his hands around.

"That's good, Sammie, but calm down. You're getting all excited." Sara said. She looked at Livi and explained, "He forgets how big and loud he is when he's over-excited and flails about. He's broken a window and some of my crockery. But he means no harm.

"Okay, Mum," he said and asked in an exaggerated whisper, "Do you know who her folks are?"

"She's one of them blue people who live near the village path. Quite a ways from here." Sara said softly.

"Oh no," Sam whispered, "aren't they witches?"

"No, Sammy, they're just working folks like us. And you know how people are mean to you and call you names? Well, that's what they do to her and her folk. You're big and strong, so they don't hurt you, but she's so little."

"I won't let them hurt her again!" Sam said.

The two looked down at Livi, who'd closed her eyes, but was still awake, and heard Sam ask, "Should I go tell her folk she's all right?

Sara said, "No, it's too far, and the snow is too deep. I could barely walk to the coup to feed the chickens!"

Sara made a splint for Livi's most injured leg, but she still couldn't put any weight on it. She had nightmares and woke up screaming, and her head still throbbed. Her sight was clearer, and her many bruises had faded to a sickly green.

Livi felt physically better but was still angry and sad most of the time. And although she was grateful for Sara and Sam's help, she had yet to trust them. She was able to speak now but rarely did. All the people she'd known mistreated her; Aunt Anna, her cousins, and people in the village, those brutish boys. She wasn't quite sure what to make of Sara and Sam. She kept fearing they'd eventually be mean, like all the others.

The snow began to melt. Sam continued bringing the small game home, and Sara's dried mushroom berries kept them fed. Livi no longer feared Sam., who turned out to be the sweetest, gentlest person she'd ever known. He was a child in a giant's body. And Sara was kind and took care of her, and Livi slowly recovered. She felt safer and cared for but still guarded around them.

Then one morning, Sam burst into the cottage, shouting, "Look what was in the woodshed, Mum!" his blustery entry made both women jump.

"Goodness, Sam!" Sara gasped and turned from the kettle of soup she stirred.

Sam opened his coat and gently lifted out a tiny ball of black fur, " saying, "He will make you feel better, Livi!"

Livi stared at a tiny black puppy and lifted it up. The pup's sweet dark eyes looked into hers, and Livi felt the stirrings of love. The puppy snuggled against her chest, and she cried with happiness. She'd never felt so loved or such joy. She was so grateful to be with these dear, gentle souls.

Sam continued, more softly this time, "Her mama and two other pups are dead. They froze, and this one was under them, so I guess that saved him."

Livi looked up into Sara and Sam's faces. The kindness and love she saw in them melted her heart.

Sara looked at the puppy and asked What do you want to name her, Livi?"

Livi held the puppy to her chest and, as tears ran down her cheeks, said, "Happy."